Machine for packeting cigarettes



March 26, 1929. R w, vom 1,706,716

MACHINE FOR PACKETING CIGARETTES Filed May 31, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet.v l

March 26, 1929. R. w. volGT MACHINE FOR PACKETING CIGARETTES Filed May 51, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fly. 3a

March 26, 1929. R. w. VOIGT MACHINE FOR P'ACKETING IGARETTES Filed May 51. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet Fig. 4

Patented Mar. 26, 1929.`

'I UNITED STATESPATENT 0FFlCEif ROBERT WILHELM voIG'r, oF DRESDEN,- GERMANY, AssrGN'oR To THE FIRM JOHANN CARL MLLER, 0E DRESDEN, GERMANY.

MACHINE FOR PACKETING CIGARETTS.

Application led May 31, 1927, Serial No. 195,419, and in Germany .Tune 4, l1926.v

This invention relates to machines for` assemblingcigarettes or the like of the kind in which the cigarettes are first packed in a shell which is then insertedin a container.

In accordance with theV present 'invention the transfer of the cigarettes from the feed band onto a common guide is effected by pushers of plungers which are lsecured to a chain or thelike arranged over the feed band and moved in the longitudinal directionof said chain. The cigarettes on the feed band are fed transversely of their longitudinafl direction.

A`plurality of transverse feeding bands for the cigarettes are arranged adjacent one another of which each feeds the cigarettes of one group, horizontal trough shaped guides being located between the separate feeding bands in stepped relation to one another,the different levels thereof varying from one another by the amount of 'the thickness of a cigarette so that the cigarettes first engaged by a pusher are fed over the next grouper layer of cigarettes and then vby lowering the pusher the twov superposed layers Lof cigarettes are l moved forward to the next group and so on.

Thel improved machine is moreover distinguished by the particular formation of the transverse feeding means and theL means for exactly arranging the-.cigarette groups ask is hereinafter more fully explained.

Theinvent-ion isillustrated in the accom panying drawings in Fig. 1 in plan View and in Fig. 2 in horizontal longitudinal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looked at in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on the line'3-3 of Fig. 1 also looked at inlthe direction of the arrows. Fig. 3a is a detail view to a largerA scale than Fig. 3 and shows the drum4 with ycigarettes gripped by rakes. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views and show feelers in two differentk positions. Figs. Gand 7 are also detail views and show a .presser with actuating means, Fig. 7. being a. vertical crosssection to a larger scale than Fig..6 on the line 7-7 of Fig. Glooked at in the direction of the arrow.

As shown in Fig. 1 three feed hoppers 1l are provided from which the cigarettes are fed in three parallel tracksto the trans-` verse guide at the end of which is located the slide Z to which Vthe cigarettes are to bev fed.

As `will be clearly seen more particularly from Fig. 3, the bottom of leach hopper 1 is` .formed by theupper flight of an endless belt 3 travelling in the'directiony of thearrow and pulley A2 acylinder or drum `4 extends into the' hopper which drum is formed on its led over the pulleys 2. Beyond the frontiV periphery with pockets y5 each adapted to receive a cigarette. Between the pulley 2 and the drum`4 is a bridge piecey 6l serving f for the transfer'of the cigarettes to the drum. The front vpulley 2 is f, driven by the druln shaft 7 through gearing 8, 9, 10. "This shaft 7 is itself driven by means of'a worm and worm wheel from the cross shaft 1l.

' The cigarettes are Vthus fed to the pockets ,y

5 of the drum 4 by the endless band-3. To f regulate the supply and prevent jamming or. piling of the cigarettes a shaking device isfafforded ibyv a stripper or'distributor, 14

secured toa rock lever 12 which is pivotally' mounted at 13, on they hopper 1, which stripper atits lower end extends among the cigarettes and maintains them in continuous motion and also determines the quantity of lcigarettes which are allowed by it to pass to the druml 4. To the lever 12 is connected a link 15 which is pivoted at the end ofa double armed lever 16y which rocks about the pivot'fl7 andfon the endof which is .mounted a roller 18 or the likeco-operating Vwith a cam disc19, the cam .portion of which reroller 18v continuously inV engagement with theJ camdisc 19. i y i The cigarettes pass into the separate peatedly actuates the roller 18 and thereby. sets the lever 16 incontinuous vibration,a

spring (not shown) serving to maintainthe pocketsV inthe dru1n14'which rotates in the f direction of the arrow, a rollerv20arranged above the Udrum 4 serving as a-stripper and serving to return any excess quantity of c cigarettes to the hopper 1. On the other side of the stripper roller 20 the cigarettes 'are delivered from the pockets 5l of the drum l 4 to afpassage, the cover of which isdenoted by the lreference numeral 21. .The vplate forming the lower surface 22 ofthe channel rests at one end ontheupper Hight 23 of. an

'pass beneathfthecigarettes. in the pocketsas .shown particularly in Fig. 3a.

The cigarettes are pushed forwards in the channel 21, 22 by following cigarettes delivei'ed from the drum till they pass on to the upper light 23 of the endless band 24 which is guided Over the pulleys 25, The pulley 25 is driven by chain 2T 'from the drum shaft 7. The upper flight oit the endless band 24 which is narrower than the length ot the cigarettes is led over a table 28. The Cigarettes lying on this flight et the belt pass iirst beneath a lixed covering plate 29 against which the covering plate 30 abuts. This covering plate 30 iorms one oit the four arms of a star shaped rotating cross which is rotatably mounted by means oit a bush 33 onta vertical spindle 3l. which is cai'ried by the bracket arni 52. A spring coiled around the spindle 3l presses the bush 33 continuously downwards against the head 34 of the spindle 3l thereby holding the rotating cross in any given position. At the Y end ol the feed band formed by the endless band 24 is provided a projection --z against which the cigarettes are piled as they arrive. 1t' these cigarettes, as assumed in the example illustrated, are of oval crosssection7 the distance of the covering plates 29 and 30 'from the upper' flight oi? the endless band 24 may be so dimensioned as to allow with the aid of the projection 35 the overlapping of the cigarettes which as is known is desirable in 'packeting oval cigarettes.

As shown in vFigs. l and 2, three 'feeding devices for 'feeding the cigarettes to the main feed band are provided. As shown in Fig. 2 the endless bands 24 or their upper flights are arranged in steps in such manner that the one at the lett hand side is highest whilev the twosucceeding bands are each located at levels which are lower by the thickness of a cigarette. feed hands 24 is located a portion 36 ot a trough shaped guide 3G into which the cigaiettes are fed while lying in their longitudinal direction to the slide Z. The portions oi guide 3G are as regards height arranged to suit the height of the corresponding lights oi the'endless belt 34 i. e., they are also arranged iii stepsditlering by the thickness of a cigarette.

The cigarettes are fed' in the longitudinal direction of' the guide 36 by pushers or pluiigers 37 which are secured to an'endless chain 38 which'at one end' ,of the machine runs Yover the sprocket 39. rllwo parallel chains are provided (see Fig. l) which carry cross members' 40 from which controls project downwardly said pushers 37. i

The pusher` lirst strikes against the group of cigarettes which has been ted from the irst feedband (i. e., that at the extreme right looking `at F ig. l) to the main guide. The cigarettes-.of this group are located ctween the separate Vtion ol" the arrow, .F 2. ln order that the furthersupply of cigarettes to the pusl'ier track should be interrupted during the time when the pusher is moving the group of cigarettes away troni the transverse 'feed banda member 4l shown in detail in `Figs. and 7 provided. This member is a two part presser so arranged that the two presser leet 42, are carried by one bar 44 whichis secured at the end ot' a double armed lever 45. The presser feet 42 and 43 hold between them the uppe part of the endless band 24 which as already mentioned is narrower than the length of the cigarettes. rlhe Atree end of the lever bears with-its roller 4G on the cam disc 47 wliichyis mounted on the driven shaft' 4S which is driven from the shaft 11 through worm gearing. Onv outward movement the pressers 42, 43 move into the path of the ciga- `ettes which are located directly at the end et the cover plate 29 just where this plate abuts against vthe plate 30. The pressersV 42, 4? as shown in Figs. G and 7 press the A next succeeding cigarettes to be ejected sottly against the iiXcdcove/r plate 29. As

a result, during the time the pusher 37 feeds;

forward the vlive cigarettes into the path of the plate 3() the supply of further cigarettes into the path of the pusher cannot take place. rlhe cigarettes held by theV-'pressersv against the fixed cover Aplate 29V torni as it were ay stop. As soon as the pusher has removed the live cigarettes the lever 45 swings j back so that 'fresh cigarettes can be 'fed into the path. of the pusher and to the projection ,f

@n the ejection .of the live cigarettes the pusher abuts against the plate 30 and moves saidplate since thelatter toi-ins an arm ofA the rotating cross. ln the further movement of the pusher the rotating crossis actuated in such manner that after com-plej tion of the movement of the'pusher another arm 339 serving as a cover plate moves into less band 24 or on the transverse feed band -the path et the projection or of the end-v l tor the cigarettes. The pusher pushes the A cigarettes on the portion 3G of the carrier Boland then over the next group of cigarettes which have been fed from the second transverse `feed band, lthe arrangement of `this second 'leed band 'beingthe sameas the first except that the 'cor-responding endless han d lies at a level lower by the thickness of moana 1 a cigarettev thangthe. first .endless pusher being effected bypassing the lower.

Iny consequence the.- cigarettes vnewly pushed. rforwardlie above'the cover plate 30.

The ypusher is now lowered into the dotted lineposition vin Fig; 2 this movement of the flight of the endless cha-in 38 between a pair ofv sprocketsv 49,50 which in: conjunction with afurther pair-` of'. sprockets 51, 52 serve, to lower this flight'to the necessary extent. The pusher 37 is thus lowered in such manner thatit now feeds the two superposedgroups of cigarettes on to the neighboring portion 362 of themain guide 36. end of this portion two groups of cigarettes pass on to the cover plate 30 of the third feed band. The pusher is now again low-. ered so that it can grip the three groups of cigarettes and it feeds them on the guide 36 to the point rwhere they are delivered to the shell slide Z. Incase, due to any disturbance in the hopper l a pocket '5' of the drum 4 does not collect a cigarette Vso that the cigarettes are ynot fed forward quickly enough by the cross feed bands and thus at the momentwhen the pusher is to move the cigarettes onto the guide 36 either there are no cigarettes to movey or there are insuffi-y cient cigarettes,a safety device is provided. This safety device has for its object to ensure that the number of cigarettes to be` packeted is always correct. There is provided for this purpose at the end of a lever 53 a feeler 54 adapted to project through an opening in .the stationary cover plate 29.- The lever 53 is operated by a cam disc 55 on the shaft 48, the arm 53 of the double armed lever 53 bearing with'its roller 56 against the periphery of the cam disc 55. At the correct moment the lever 53 is swung outwards and the feeler 54 projects into the opening in the cover plate 29. vThe feeler 54 is mounted at the end of a lrod 57 which is longitudinally movable in the eye 58 on the end of the lever 53. About this rod `is coiled a spring 59 which tends to press the feeler continuously downward. When lthe feeler in projecting inwards meets cigarettes it abuts against these cigarettes andV on downward movement of vthe lever 53 the rod 57 is moved longitudinally in the eye 58,

the spring 59 being compressed. Aty the end of this rod is mounted a Contact 61 carried by a blade spring 60 and adapted to co-operate with-the contact 62 secured on the machine frame. As shown in Fig.v 4, when the cigarettes are in the guide the contact 61 cannotcome in contact with the contact 62. If, however, ythere are no cigarettes under thek feeler 54 as in Fig. 5 then the feeler moves inwards the spring 59 remains expanded and the contact 61 comes in contact with a contactl 62. f The electric circuit thereby closed is used toaccelerate the drive of the feed drum 4 and the feed At the drum is driven for -a time .ati an increased cuitandy the, subsequent interruption of the circuit neednotleadto reduction of the'ine` creased speed. 7

I claim Y 1. In a machine for assembling cigarettes, parallel feeders, ,guide members between said feeders arrangedin stepped relation to one another and'extending transversely to said feeders and longitudinally of the cigarettes, stepped abutments, pushers movable longitudinally on said guides so that when passing over the stepped guides they will be correspondingly lowered and discharge a i group of cigarettes from the guide of a higher level past the abutment on to the neighboring guide of a lower level andfsuperpose a group of cigarettes on the latter, then push said super-posed groups of cigarettes to a still lower level and so on.

2, In a machine as perv claim 1, in which the guides extending transversely to said feeders are stepped at levels varying from one another by the thickness of a cigarette.

3. In a machine vas per claim 1, in which the pushers are carried by a parallel pair of flexible conveyors moving longitudinally of isaidguide, said conveyors having means for 4. In a machine as per claim l1, in which near the forward end of each feeder are arranged in longitudinal extension of one another a fixed covering and a movable covering, said coverings forming with the corresponding feeder, a guide channel for a group of'cigarettes, and av stationary abutment at said end of Veachv feeder.

5. LIn a` machine as per claim l, in which near the forward end of each feederare arranged in` longitudinal extension of one another a fixed covering and a movable coverl ing,.said coverings forming with the correspending feeder -a guide channel for a groupof cigarettes, said movable covering being in formr of a rotatable multiple armed member having means tending tosecurely hold said Y member in a position in which one arm at a time will form said movable covering.

v 6. In a machine as per claim 1, means for temporarily ystopping the feeding of cigarettes atk the time a group thereof is being advanced from each feeder on to the adjacent guide.

. 7. In a machine as per claim 1, means for temporarily stopping the feeding of cigarettes at the time -a group thereof is belng advanced', from each feeder onto the-,adjacent guide, vwhich said Ameans include movable` presser feet adapted to engage and arrest the cigarettes located at the end of said fixed covering Iand in front of said movable covermg. v

8. In a machine as per claim 1, and in which near each feeder are arranged a fixed coveringand a movable covering, said coverings forming with the corresponding Jfeeder a guide channel for a group'of cigarettes,

means fortemporarily stopping the feedingy 10 of cigarettes includingrmovable' presser feet, a common swinging arm carrying said presser feet, said presser Yfeet being spaced apart a distance less than the length of cigarette so asto engageand press the same 15 against said fixed covering.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.v

ROBERT WILHELM fVOIGT. 

